Sin: Path of Poison

Chapter 4 Part 1

After an hour of riding at a near crawl, we came to a flat field full of tents and stages. The bustle of people scurrying this way and that picked up as we came into view. Several servants rushed out to greet us. The head guard rode ahead to disperse them, likely to protect the identities of the two masters.

My guard dismounted and offered his hand to help me down. I slid off the horse and lightly stumbled, the guard extended his arm to stop me before I fell further forward. Our eyes met briefly before I looked away, he watched me closely. Thinking what? I didn't want to linger long enough to pull at his thoughts. While the slip of footing was an act on my part, there was some honesty in my actions. I was nearing the end of my threshold. Despite being perfectly safe from mishap the man in blue still came over to look at me, having witnessed the near fall.

"Did you twist your ankle?" He asked.

"No, I'm just tired." I explained.

"Have a servant show her to a tent where she can clean up." He commanded. The head guard whispered to a nearby woman, reminding her not to answer my questions. As if I needed to rely on her information.

I obediently followed as she took me to a small tent on the perimeter of the camp site. Teenage girls quickly carried buckets of water and dumped them into a large soaking tub within the modest space. Finally, the opportunity I needed.

"Ahhh um, could I trouble you to make the water steaming hot?" I asked gently. I didn't want to appear demanding, but I needed to get the glass snakes out of my body. If the water wasn't hotter than my body temperature they wouldn't leave.

"Okay." She replied while redirecting all of the girls back out to reheat the water. Apparently these women were familiar with picky ladies. Assuming I was someone of high class, despite my current condition, it was expected I'd be a bit demanding.

I looked closer at the woman in charge of me, she was probably a few years younger than me but carried herself well. She had the aura of someone much older, probably from ordering all of these young girls around. I dropped my eyes, pretending to be uninterested in everything around me.

Finally the water was prepared. Now, for some privacy. When the glass snakes exited my body, my blood would follow. It would be disadvantageous if the entire camp figured out my identity on the first day.

A small fire burned inside the tent, warming the inside nicely. My stomach growled, reminding me I hadn't eaten in the past few days. With the pain of the glass snakes inside my body, I most likely couldn't have stood eating, but the thought of removing them reminded me I needed nourishment.

"I can wash myself, can you please find some bread or something simple for me to eat? You can leave it outside?" I suggested. At first she looked confused, probably expecting I'd want help bathing, but she just nodded and left.

I quickly removed my clothing, unsure of how much time I had alone. I placed one of the buckets the maids left near the tub. Quickly jumping into the steaming hot water I submerged myself entirely, enduring the pain as the glass snakes tore through my flesh as they made their way out. As each one came out, I grabbed its now engorged dark red body and dropped it into the nearby bucket.

Jumping out of the now blood filled wash tub, I ran over to grab the last remaining bits of blood clotting powder I had. At last I covered the wounds on my body and wiped off the excess blood. Moving flammable items to the fire, I encouraged the fire to grow larger and dumped the bucket of glass snakes in the hottest part of the coals. They squirmed and moved, but were too swollen with blood to go far. Enduring the pain, I gathered energy to disperse the poison around me.

Kicking a hole in the bottom of the tub, the bloodied water poured out onto the ground. Taking my discarded robe to the fire, I let the fabric burst into flame and quickly went about the tent spreading the mayhem. There was a simple maid outfit hanging in the corner, it would have to suffice for now. I ran outside in a panic as smoke billowed from the tent.